Life, 1907-01-03 · page 18 of 44
Life — January 3, 1907 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine presents financial and social satire targeting early 20th-century American society. **"Our Financial Letter"** mocks stock market speculation and corporate malfeasance through fake investment advice. References like "Castellane Profligate bonds," "Factory Children Corporation," and "Standard Thieving" satirize actual market manipulation, child labor exploitation, and corporate corruption. The joke names ("Reformed Spelling Incon-trovertibles," "Lawson Gas") ridicule contemporary business figures and fads. **"The Tyrant Fashion"** cartoon depicts a monkey fashionably dressed, captioned with self-aware mockery: "Nobody knows how we monkeys must suffer to be in fashion." This satirizes women's restrictive fashion and the absurdity of following trends blindly. **"And They Say Figures Can't Lie"** presents wordplay humor about traffic safety—the joke relies on someone attaching another driver's license plate to avoid speeding tickets, mocking traffic enforcement. The **marriages section** uses intentionally absurd name-pairings (Black/White, Root/Tree, Hammer/Handle) as satirical filler, likely mocking society pages. Overall, the page satirizes corporate corruption, fashion excess, traffic lawlessness, and media conventions of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
18 Our Financial Letter HE market opened up this morning strong and buoyant, on receipt of the ws that the President had taken a y off. Hearsts were soft, with very little profit taking. At present this stock is low, but it is predicted that the public will take it up later on. Castellane Profli gate bonds made a new low-level selling ex. all dividends. It is said that this bankrupt concern will socn pass into the hands of several receivers, one not being able to handle it. The new stock of the Factory Children Corporation Company, just listed on the Exchange, started of harush. Extra dividends ready being declared, and with the abundant material on hand and the great generosity of the Government ermitting it to be used, it is thought that several melons will be cut shortly Literary Reputations were firm on renewed buying. Insiders think very favorably of Reformed Spelling Incon- trovertibles, although it has been recently knocked down by a few determined insiders. Divorces ruled quiet but firm, with very little profit ing this n is not aking. were taken on. report of four new here- sies in the hurch. Th as a long market in Sermons, much professional buyii but the pu is not interested. There is the usual stringency in the money mar- ket, and it is hoped that the Government will come to the rescue by raising the tariff on all necessary articles. + The crop reports continue to be favor- able and since the Hughes election, Bar- THE TYRANT FASHION WS HOW WE MONKEVS MUST SUFFER TO BE IN FASION” IN UPPER CIRCLES bers have risen. We look for a shrink- age in Wool and unsteady conditions Senators are easy, with the y upward, owing to in material due to jail deliveri Reports from the curb indicate gen- eral strength. Standard Thieving is rising rapidly on reports of the new Rebate Bill. U. S. Extortions are booming, a new custom-house being built. Lawson Gas is dead. LIFE worth living?” “Tt depends upcn whether you can afford it.” And They Say Figures Can't Lie ONES: Do you believe there is safety in numbers? : SkorcHER: Sure ; ceeding the speed limit, I hang some other chap's number on the back of my auto! whenever I’m ex- Recent Mamages R. BLACK to Miss White.” Mr. Little to Miss Biggar. Mr. Hare to Miss Shaver. Mr. Root to Miss Tree. Mr. Crystal to Miss Snow Mr. Hammer to Miss Handle.